IDEA
15-20 Minute Runtime -
Set in 1980's Leeds, a rival gang group of Punks set aside their feud to combat police brutality...
Until a new face arrives and reignites their hostility.
IDEA 2
Location: Hyde Park, Leeds
Cast: 6 (+extras)
Music: Click Here
5 Minute Runtime -
Non Conventional Music Video presenting biblical imagery in a futuristic earth.
Pre-Apocalyptic futuristic surrealism.
Location: Earth, Space
Cast: 4 (+ extras +band)
Musical style: Pop-Rock
5-10 Minute Runtime
Short Thriller set in one room, the story revolves around a doorbell.
The doorbell chime is a recurring theme in the piece, and symbolizes the next stage in the narrative - imagine the bell chimes in 'A Christmas Carol'.
Location: Fictional Residence in Cornwall
Cast: 6
Musical style: Click Here
Origin & Development:
Idea 1 -
The initial plot idea was to be a modern day drama, based on the death of a loved one. This will be presented in a way in which the audience will feel loss just as the characters do. Building up a trust and relationship with the characters, just for them to be taken away. Leaving the feeling of emptiness in a sudden change in tone.
First being set at a fast-food restaurant, before taking the story to the seafront.
Originally, the plot would be that of a coma:
After giving birth to their first baby, the husband rushes to the hospital only to be subject to a major car accident. All involved lost their lives, other than him. Suddenly awaking from a coma, he realizes that his family has been stolen by another man. His wife could not live her life knowing that her daughter would not have a father; And found a new one. She explains that she was informed that he was not likely to survive, and did not tell her daughter who her real father was.
The protagonist now has to live with knowing that his daughter will never know who he is.
This was an interesting foundation for the plot however did not contain enough depth for the audience to have a positive opinion of the protagonist.
On January 22nd 2021, Chris Catalyst (a rock musician from Leeds) released a track entitled 'Make Good Art'.
The themes and musical structure reminded me of music from the early 2000s:- Fratellis - Chelsea Dagger, 2006
- Maximo Park - Apply Some Pressure, 2005
This was the Era of music that I grew up with, and I quickly compiled a playlist for inspiration.
This was an extremely important part of idea creation. Music from the early 2000s filled me with nostalgia, and helped me generate ideas based off of my upbringing.
I realized that I wanted the film to represent the past, and the setting of Leeds was a perfect base to build from this idea.
Here is where I made the decision to set the piece in 1890s Leeds. I had seen articles online of the gang warfare that used to take place in 1980s Leeds, and this became the interesting dynamic that I was looking for. Searching for details, it appeared that 'Hyde Park - Leeds' was the perfect setting. The narrative did not need to be historically accurate, just exist in a historically accurate location.
Initial-Developed Plot Summary:
Hyde park 1981, 3 punk boys are in a shootout against their rivals. They are outnumbered and resort to escaping in their getaway car. A car chase ensues, and concludes with the the boys being arrested. As it turns out, the protagonist punk had shot and killed a young member of the rival gang, and injured another. As the driver was already guilty of other offenses, he pleaded guilty to the killing.
The protagonist decides that this is his chance to leave, as he no longer needs the protection of his gang.
Obviously, he knows that this is not an easy task, and spends the next day on the run (moving from Hyde Park to Skipsea).
This means, leaving his fiancé behind. He promised her that he would return in the following day (hiding his involvement with the gang).
He is haunted by his past, and a part of him regrets his time spent with the gang. Mostly for the fact that they were now after him (because of his disloyalty).
He returns back to Leeds in the dead of night. Today is his Fiancés due date, and he discovers a note on her bedside table instructing him to meet her at 'Hornsea Hospital'.
As he rushes to her side, he realizes that he is being followed. Before he arrives at the hospital, his car is involved in an accident which leaves him falling down the sand dunes into the water. It was a hit, and he was followed every step of the way.
Suddenly, awaking from a coma, he realizes that his fiancé has been stolen by another man. She could not live her life knowing that her daughter would not have a father; And found a new one. She explains that she was informed that he was not likely to survive, and did not tell her daughter who her real father was. This is because, as the hit was not successful, the gang informed her that he was unlikely to survive (as an alternative to killing him they would let him die in the coma).
The man in question is the one that he had previously shot in the rival gang.
The protagonist now has to live with knowing that his daughter will never know who he is; Among this, he is now paralyzed from the time he had spent in the coma.
Overall, the plot focuses on loss and failure - desperately fighting for good but having to give up. It reminds you that sometimes fighting for your beliefs is often the wrong thing to do.
The original plot idea was to keep the narrative under 10 minutes. This is would have been a simple task, but after developing the plot and the characters, I understood that this piece would need an extra 5 minute (or so) runtime to keep the plot points.
An alternative to this is to condense the narrative; Perhaps leaving out unnessecery shots and dialogue sequences.
I do not believe that the current state of the plot is very strong, however with more development and planning I may be able to create a believable short.
In terms of project possibility and practicality, I do not believe that this is a possible task with the budget I have available to me. The 'Car Accident' sequence alone (if presented on screen) would take a large chunk of the projects budget. Among this, finding actors and locations to suit a project of this scale is out of my hands. I do not believe that I yet have the field experience to fully produce a professional production of this scale. However, it is definitely a possibility for a future production.
Idea 2 -
The initial idea for this piece was based off of this image -
Eventually, this idea became that of a dancer. Maybe the angel is not physically weightless, but suspending in the air by silk. I loved the idea that this character was metaphorically weightless; In control of their own suspension. I decided that the room would look much better as a bright white. The silk would be a royal blue or blood red to contrast the bright white of the room.
At this stage, I began imagining what the angel imagery symbolized. I had not yet questioned it, and as the center piece of the project, this needed more consideration than I had given.
An angel, in biblical terms is as follows:
In this sense, an angel is an out of this world messenger. Something perhaps of extraterrestrial or supernatural nature.
What if the angel was an extraterrestrial?
As we know that the suspension is not physical, maybe they could arrive into earth in a spaceship (the white room).
Here is where I began breaking down the bigger picture. An E.T, in the form of a biblical angel, arriving as a messenger to warn Earth about the damage it is causing and the ultimate demise of humanity. The angel is seen as a threat, and leaves the planet to its own devices.
Obviously, this is an extremely bizarre and perhaps unthinkable concept. But this specific genre of cinema is known as surrealism. Surrealism is a common genre in cinema, as it creates fantastical imagery in a believable way. Examples of surrealism are that of:
Alice Through the Looking-
Here is the basis of my concept style.
The dreamy atmosphere of 'through the looking glass' gave me inspiration to create a piece in a similar style.
The standard for this modern surrealism cinema genre consists almost entirely of green screen and CGI effects to digitally create an immersive world.
Because of this, costume design is the only practical part of the shoot, and so is always crafted to perfection.
Phantom Of The Paradise, 1974
'Phantom of the paradise' is an example of American rock-opera horror comedy. A very unusual subgenre of the sci-fi surrealism world.
I feel like this is a very important point of analysis, as it uses practical effects to achieve a similar product to that of 'through the looking glass'.
Overall, I had determined both visual style and plot overview. However, I believed that some details needed ironing out before I continue to production planning.
The plot:
Society is in turmoil, in need of help from higher power.
Rioting and revolt is a normality of life, and the rich have resorted to Artificial Intelligent policing.
Rioting and revolt is a normality of life, and the rich have resorted to Artificial Intelligent policing.
Security consists of obedient super soldiers, that carry out protective units with the assistance of artificial intelligence and motion detection hardware. When higher power arrives, piercing the atmosphere in a state of magnetic levitation, the AI is confused. However, society has relied on A.I to problem solve for them for over 30 years now; And is baffled by the concept of solving political issues without the help of data analysis software and such.
Because of this, A Special Forces Unit (dept.27 - EFS) are tasked with extracting alien life from the shuttle. Safely and securely, they breach the entranceway and enter to 'The Celestial Sanctum'.
Upon entering, they are greeted with the angel. The outer worldly figure is not hostile, but forces images of the future into the minds of the soldiers. Realizing, the eventual devastation that beholds them, they beg the angel to show them mercy. Society is in belief that the angel has bought the plague upon them. When it was the fault of humanity all along.
- Further development
A possible idea for the shoot is to call the Angel 'Daedalus'. In Greek mythology, Daedalus is the creator of the labyrinth, and father of Icarus. Icarus is well known for creating artificial wings and flying too close to the sun; Burning his wings and falling to his death.
Metaphorically, the spacecraft could be symbolic of the labyrinth. The EFS soldiers have to conquer the labyrinth to find the angel, and are mentally lost when they find their way.
Icarus is symbolized in humanity. After being warned by the angel not to carry on, they 'fly too close to the sun' leading to their own demise.
From this perspective, Daedalus as a physical angel (messenger of God) would help reinforce the idea that humanity is the childish offspring of the higher power (as is Icarus); This linking Christian and Greek beliefs into a futuristic plot.
Idea 3 -
Initial plot idea was to set the entire piece in a hallway of a modern house. The idea came to me while listening to my partners door chime. It is not a conventional chime, and it drew my attention to the possibility of a narrative built from this.
The idea was that a young woman would leave for work leaving her children unattended at home. I wanted something to happen that would make the audience feel uneasy - but not in a horrific way. This was an idea based off of psychological thrillers, such as that of 'Ma' and 'Split'.
I quickly realized that the ideas I was producing was very cliché and stale for the genre. These were that of:
- an unwelcomed guest arriving
- a shocking accidental discovery
- a fatal accident needing covering up
These basic ideas were a strong start, but not to my liking. As a first idea, I needed something original that could be built upon.
Taking inspiration from 'Bly Manor', I thought about setting the piece in the past (or so). Incorporating glimpses of modern technology and fashion trends into giving the audience hints into its true setting, which is indeed modern day. I realize that I can create a false setting that slowly but surely presents itself into the idea that it is not set in its original timeline.
To sum this up -
I will create a short film revolving around a doorbell chime set in 1900s England. The film will include many intentional continuity errors, ultimately concluding in modern day.
My findings was that the further south you travel, the higher the class of the area. Because of this, I chose Cornwall as the setting for the plot. The hilly, seaside landscape is perfect for the atmosphere that I am aiming to create. However, as I am based in Norfolk England, it is unlikely that I would have access to a cross-country filming location. The budget would just be too high for the project, and I would have to cover food, accommodation and transport for all talent involved in the shoot. I needed to think smaller. Norfolk England contains seaside towns. As this is close by, I would be able to film here without hassle.
I need to elaborate on the plot and where the doorbell chime comes in.
My initial thought for this is that, as an audience, you will be observing a paranormal murder mystery set in 1900's England. As time progresses, the audience will be presented with the idea that the regular doorbell chime is a hypnosis device, controlling the minds of the attendees. In conclusion, it is actually set in modern day England, and the entire plot is fabricated by the sick mind of the doorbell owner who is monitoring the effects of his device on hidden cameras.
Setting -
To be sure of the setting, I needed to conduct some background research. I wanted the 'experiment' to take place in a posh and wealthy part of the UK (as I wanted to set the film in a large house)
Plot -
A thriller set in the 1920's revolving around a supernatural murder mystery. The twist is that everything is actually all fake, set in modern day, and all but one of the attendees are hypnotized.
Initial plot overview -
Small group of friends gathering for a party.
smooth jazz is playing on a vinyl record, and the group are dressed for the occasion.
there is a thick smoke in the air, and dull, warm light from oil lamps fill their shadows while their back is illuminated by daylight.
an introductory speech is read, stating the year, and the purpose of the meeting.
the 'host' introduces the idea that people have died in the house and the evidence to convict the killer is likely close by.
Everyone laughs and drinks as they venture throughout the house.
Background details can include:
A digital alarm clock
A calendar of the year 2021
A flat screen TV
A Slight electro beat on one of the jazz tracks
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These items are not visible throughout the introduction phase, but slowly make appearances as the characters uncover clues about the mystery.
The idea is, every time a new character is introduced, the doorbell rings. At every major plot point, the doorbell rings.
Finally, A modern day policeman appears on set and, in a panicked state, retrieves the remaining characters. There is then a slow and somber walk through the house (all one shot), when we realize that all the 'fictional' acts we have witnessed really happened, and the guests were forced to kill each other in a dazed state. While we, the audience, saw nothing wrong originally; This is because we were viewing the plot from a hypnotized perspective. And now the policeman has entered the house, we get to see the reality of the horrific situation. The lighting and makeup design for this section will change drastically. From a moody and warm tone, to a cold and dark tone. Conclusively, the jazz record will include a heavily reverberated electro beat leading to a final shot of the door closing and the bell chime ringing out again.
The hidden detail, Is that the piece will include wide angle shots positioned in the corner of the rooms (as in a CCTV style). This implies that the guests were always being watched from the start.
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To sum up, we were given a twisted perspective on positive events, just to be bought back to reality in the harsh final moments.
The guests were being watched in an experiment, and the bell chime is what was hypnotizing them.
Final Idea -
Music Video
5 Minute Runtime -
Non Conventional Music Video presenting biblical imagery in a futuristic earth.
Pre-Apocalyptic futuristic surrealism.
Location: Earth, Space
Cast: 4 (+ extras +band)
Musical style: Currently Unknown
My final idea for my Final Major Project 2021 is a non conventional sci-fi music video.
I have chosen this idea due to the likelihood of the product quality. The other ideas are that of a high budget production, and I do not believe that I have enough experience in the field to undertake these. This is mostly due to the minimal experience we have had doing practical work. I have only worked with a team twice, and only once have we used mics. I believe that I need more time learning practically in order to successfully get the most from these ideas.
The music video however, is purely visual based (audio will be overdubbed like Foley). Because of this, I can further hone my skills behind the camera and experiment with visual effects. It will still be a challenge, but here is an opportunity to push my creative ideas to the next level.
Final Idea Pitch -
On Thursday 15th April, I pitched my final idea to a small audience. I spoke in detail about my goals for project and how I aim to achieve this. I mentioned things such as: Pre-Production, Location, Costume, Collaborative efforts, deeper meanings.
I believe that it went very well, and I successfully got my point across. I failed to mention details about the "extraterrestrial". This is okay, because it is not the most important point of the pitch.
I bought forward two of the costume pieces to showcase a 'proof of concept' to my audience.
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Song choice:
To affirm myself on my song choice, I recorded a multitude of Demo material. There was 6 short demos detailing a rough chord progression and melody. The tones and tempo were not final.
I needed an outsiders perspective in order to assure that the audience would be happy with my song choice.
After publishing the survey, I received a positive opinion on two of the tracks.
This was 1, and 5.
A high tempo punk rock track, and a lo-fi hip hop track.
Because of this, I will release the single as two tracks, with the video playing through the first, and ending just as the second begins. This is a creative choice, and leaves the imagery of the track open for audience interpretation.
Rationale -
The past 6 months have given me many opportunities to expand my practical and theory skills in media. It has been a great challenge completing work as a solo gig, but overall this has helped me understand the importance of teamwork and forward planning. Time management was something I needed to get my head around, and motivation was limited.
Moving ahead from this, I believe that I have gotten myself to a stage where I can work at a high level and a constant pace. My practical skills have improved tremendously, and my improvement in research and planning means that I can get more work completed in less time.
My skills consist of:
- Detailed understanding of Camera types and their importance
- Experimentation of Lenses
- Importance of lighting in a shot
- Basic understanding and practical experience in VFX and CGI
- Detailed experience with Image/audio/Video manipulation
- Basic understanding of Domains and Interactive Multimedia Productions
- Detailed understanding of video/audio distribution +copyright protection
Next steps - From here, I wish to hone my acquired skills and further develop ideas to create the best quality work that I can. I wish to create productions with a large team. This will give me experience with leading a shoot, from start to finish, with others in mind; Giving me the opportunity to work with many creative talents such as makeup/costume artists and audio/video engineers.
Teamwork is very important to me, and the future holds opportunities to see this through.
Project Concept -
For my final project 2021, I will be creating a music video. The video will consist of biblical imagery and Greek mythology in a futuristic Europe (2050). The genre will be of sci-fi surrealism, and will follow the story of super soldiers as they make contact with an extraterrestrial entity.
The project in question, will be my most collaborative yet. The budget will be my highest yet, and the quality will be my current best. To achieve this, I need costume and set design to be professionally crafted. Pyrotechnics will be mostly practical, and the rest will be digitally created. As I am new to VFX, I will create the piece with practicality in mind. However, I will still need to run VFX tests and experimentations before I begin shooting. This way, I will arrive on set knowing exactly what the end product will look like. As I am creating a music video, I need to create the project to the band/record companies needs. This means that many exports will be created until it meets the standard of the clients expectations. This may mean that I have to shoot two or three different videos until the client is happy. Overall, this is exactly what I needed. A professional production that will be distributed to a real client is the perfect start to a successful career in media.
Evaluation -
To evaluate my production, I will refer back to my pre-production and planning. It is important that I always refer back to my target audience. Too many a time have I not correctly referred to my target audience and ultimately not fully evaluated the project. Therefore, I will take extra care to do this.
Project Action Plan & Timetable -
A project timetable is very important to meeting deadlines, and is the improvement that will benefit my time management very nicely. These are my initial thoughts:
- 5th April - Begin research
- 7th April - Music production, Idea composing, Costume design
- 9th April - Prop Production, Costume Production
- 11th April - Music Mixing/ Dummy master
- 15th April - Location scouting
- 16th April - Equipment checklist/ Risk assessment/ Location Recce
- 17th April - Location shots/ Location storyboarding
- 19th April - Final Mixdown - Send for mastering
- 20th April - Character Casting
- 21st April - Master mix send-off to record production
- 22nd April - VFX dummy shots
- 23rd April - Full costume headshots
- 24th April - Pyrotechnics test footage
- 25th April - Full Location pre-run (non costume with Pyro)
- 26th April - A story Principle photography (Full Costume/Pyro production shoot)
- 27th April - Principle photography (Full Costume/Pyro production shoot)
- 28th April - Principle photography (Full Costume/Pyro production shoot)
- 29th April - Principle photography (Full Costume/Pyro production shoot)
- 30th April - Rough-Cut edit/ Cover Art Production
- 1st May - Official Track Announcement with on-set photography
- 2nd May - Post Production beginning
- May 4th - B story Principle photography
- 5th May - Principle photography
- 6th May - Post Production
- 12th May - Post Production
- 13 May - Record print arrival
- 15th May - Radio Debut
- 20th May - Radio Play/ Pre-save link announcement/ Marketing (poster, track preview)
- 31st May - Worldwide release day
- 1st June - Giveaway opportunity (for online re-shares after release hype)
DO NOT READ FURTHER - UNFINISHED
Inspiration for music video development.
- https://youtu.be/XDqRa0ExDqs
music video treatments.
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